VIRUS
Provided below are links to web sites that provide
information about computer viruses. This list is not meant to be a complete list or a list
of recommended sites. These are sites that we are aware of, although there are many more
available on the World Wide Web.
General Information:
Intro to Viruses
CERT/CC Computer Virus Resources
Viruses:
McAfee.com - Virus Information Library
Symantec Security Updates
Encyclopedia
McAfee - AVERT - Virus Information Library
Virus Hoaxes:
McAfee.com - Virus Information Library - Virus
Hoaxes
Symantec Security Updates - Virus
Hoaxes
Virus Detection and Prevention Tips
When in doubt, always err on the side of caution and do not
open, download, or execute any files or e-mail attachments. Not executing is the more
important of these caveats. Check with your product vendors for updates which include
those for your operating system, web browser, and e-mail.
Virus Protection:
AVG
McAfee
Symantec - Norton
SPYWARE
You may be asking "What is spyware?" Spyware, also referred to
as adware or malware, is software that resides on your computer that performs a
wide variety of tasks. Tasks that should be illegal, but as of yet, are not. The
tasks that these spyware programs perform should scare a person, because spyware
does just as its name suggests: it spies on you. Spyware usually downloads and
installs itself on your computer without you even knowing it, running in the
background of your computer, using up your computer’s resources, while
remaining totally invisible to the average computer user. Spyware programs on
your computer can track all personal information about you that you’ve entered
into your computer such as passwords, addresses, social security numbers, credit
card numbers, can track your Internet habits, and the list goes on and on and
on. Usually the information that these spyware programs collect, is sent to a
third party, unknown to the user. Some spyware programs will even try to gain
control over certain parts of your computer. Some of the things it may try to
control are: resetting your homepage to an alternate site, thus forcing you to
view a particular website, flooding your computer with multiple pop-up
advertisements, hoping that the user will click on them and therefore install or
at least see their products, and redirecting internet searches using search
engines of their choice, not yours.
Where does spyware come from? It depends really on the websites that one visits on the Internet. Usually, lesser known websites, or obscure websites that have very little recognition, that also contain numerous "pop-up" ads, are the main sources of this spyware. Some websites do use pop-up ads in a positive way. Using them to display forms, definitions of topics, etc. But be wary of the sites that have numerous pop-ups appearing simultaneously, that also ask you for permission to install something. Those are usually the ones that present the most problems. The pop-ups on these websites, will download spyware onto your computer, whether you click on the pop-up or not. Some websites however are even more aggressive in getting spyware out. On some sites, simply visiting the website will initiate the downloading of spyware onto your computer without using pop-up windows. So how do you tell which websites contain spyware and which ones do not? That is a really tough question. It is nearly impossible to tell which websites launch spyware and which ones don’t. The best advice for telling is, if it is a lesser known site that seems "fishy" or that seems to be overly aggressive (meaning it is bombarding you with pop-ups and questions constantly) then it is a good bet that it is placing spyware onto your computer.
So, how does one prevent and remove this spyware? The first thing to do, is when you are on a particular website on the Internet, if you are ever asked to install anything, and you are un-aware of what it is, or if it is a download or install that you did not initiate, always answer NO! There are a few exceptions to this rule, but generally, this is what you should follow. If it is something you know you are downloading, then go ahead and allow it, but if you have no clue as to what it is, and you answer Yes, then there is a good possibility that you are giving a third party permission to overtake your computer. The good news is, there are some free tools available for download on the Internet that are designed to scan for and remove spyware from your computer. Two of the most popular and effective programs, are Ad-Aware SE Personal Edition 1.05 (information available at http://www.lavasoftusa.com ) and SpyBot Search and Destroy version 1.3. (information available at http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html). Depending on how much you use the Internet on your computer, I would recommend running either one or both of these programs on your computer at least once a week or every two weeks just to make sure there isn’t anything on your computer that is not suppose to be there. Just like with an anti-virus program, you need to keep it updated. If you notice odd things happening, such as home pages being reset, pop-up ads appearing even when you are not on the Internet, and etc., then run the program sooner. Spyware is a nuisance, but can be controllable.
SpywareBlaster does not remove spyware off of your computer, instead it helps to prevent spyware from being installed in the first place.
To
Download Ad-Aware SE Personal Edition 1.05 Click on one of the links below:
CNET
Download.com, Major
Geeks, , PCWorld.com,
or Lavasoft